Murder victim
was stabbed in the leg, jury told

A man has told a murder trial jury - via a video recording - how a friend was left fatally bleeding in his Scarborough flat after he was suddenly attacked by other visitors.

Gary Thomas’s evidence was recorded after the death of Jonathan Binns on August 7 last year and told how he was assaulted while sitting in a chair.

Mr Thomas said Mr Binns had returned with him to his flat in Eastborough that evening and they had enjoyed a couple of drinks and cigarettes while watching a programme about Bin Laden.

“It was nice, it was totally fine,” he said. Mr Binns then had some heroin using a piece of tin foil “hardly anything, about £3 worth”.

It was as he was doing that there was knock on the flat door. Mr Thomas said he ignored it at first but when the knocking continued he went to see who it was.

Through the door he heard Nicholas Polihronos, whom he knew from his schooldays, asking to come in.

At first he told him he was busy but then went and asked Mr Binns if he should let him in and Mr Binns said “it’s up to you”.

When he opened the door Nick was with three other people, Kevin Pickering, David White and a man he did not know and they came in.

Mr Thomas said: “All of a sudden Dave went over to the chair and started hitting Jonny, swearing and shouting ‘Give me your money, give me your money’.

He saw blood on Mr Binns face and thought it was from being hit in the mouth or nose but then realised he was losing blood elsewhere.

“He had started to go pale and weak and Dave was ripping the coat of from behind him and as soon as he’s got the coat they all stood up and left.”

The jury has heard Mr Binns was stabbed in the leg by Pickering and bled to death because it struck the femoral artery.

Pickering, 30 of Royal Crescent denies murder but has admitted his manslaughter and robbery. David White 34 of Queens Terrace denies murder or the alternative manslaughter but has admitted robbery. Jim Cousins, 31 of Manchester and Nicholas Polihronos, 31 of Stoney Haggs Rise, Seamer each deny murder, the alternative manslaughter and robbery.